A free-to-use jobs portal has been launched to help hospitality and tourism workers displaced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Supported by the Scottish Tourism Alliance and UK Hospitality, it is designed to help displaced workers find at least temporary employment. Hospitality workforce platform Harri has created the HospitalityUnite jobs hub free of charge.
The jobs are in other sectors such as grocery, supply, healthcare and delivery that require numerous staff during the pandemic.
The new portal will help those who have already been made redundant or had contracts terminated. It will provide video screening as part of the service to speed up the recruitment process.
The portal will not be visible to the public and can only be accessed by people in the tourism and hospitality community through a link provided by companies when they get in touch via:
Marc Crothall, CEO Scottish Tourism Alliance CEO said:
“While hospitality and tourism has received vital support from both the Scottish and UK Governments, the sector is also playing its part in trying to mitigate the hardship so many of our people have suffered at this time and will suffer in the weeks and months to come. At the same time, this will help those parts of the economy that now need extra labour to keep the country running.”
Kenneth Gibson MSP added:
“While COVID-19 has led to many hospitality workers being sent home, demand for warehouse workers and delivery drivers has shot up. To have a quick and easy way to match supply and demand like this, is a most welcome development.
“Tourism and hospitality workers are well suited to fill many of these positions and the sooner people can be helped back into work, the better.”
Harri Director Pete Willis said:
“HospitalityUnite already has a commitment from the likes of Lidl, Amazon, Planet Organic, Just Eat, Co-op, Waitrose, Care UK, Morrisons, Balhousie Care Group and logistics companies who need additional staff and who see skilled hospitality workers as ideal recruits. Right now we have 4,000 vacancies at Amazon and 2,500 vacancies with Lidl ready to go onto the website.
“During the current emergency, any hospitality operator will be able to sign up for free resources and courses.
“These will be available for all hospitality employees on the topics of mental health and well-being, in conjunction with Upskill People & the MIND charity. In the future, the HospitalityUnite site will importantly become a resource to attract people back to the sector.”
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